Wine to Restock the Cellar
Happy New Year Leschi! Did the holiday celebrations deplete your cellar? Now is a great time to restock. In the event you missed out on some of the recently high profiled wines, here is a recap of some of the wines that are still available from the always coveted Wine Spectator Top 100. A great way to fill that cellar back up with proven winners. Here are five.
2015 Château de St. Cosme Gigondas ($39.99)
#5 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017
A textbook version of the brawny side of Gigondas, offers a grippy alder bass line underneath layers of dark currant and fig fruit, while lots of tobacco, rosemary and bay leaf fill in throughout. Muscular and energetic, this is built for the cellar. Best from 2019 through 2030. 95-points. (At deadline, there were still a couple available!)
2015 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape ($131.99)
#14 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017
This offers a drop-dead gorgeous core of cassis and raspberry pâte de fruit flavors that hold center stage but still allow notes of Lapsang souchong tea, anise, incense and shiso leaf to chime in. Very long, with a sublime feel through the mineral-tinged finish. So seductive already, but this should cruise in the cellar. Drink now through 2040. 98-points.
Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley NV ($19.99)
#25 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017
A voluptuous, expressive sparkler, with floral red apple, brioche and cinnamon spice aromas and rich, vibrant flavors that finish on a luxurious note. Drink through 2018. 92-points.
2014 Quinta De Cabriz Red Dão Portugal ($7.99)
#46 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2016
"A crisp and minerally red, with concentrated flavors of dark cherry, roasted plum and dried raspberry, layered with rich, spicy notes. White chocolate details show on the finish, accented by hints of pepper. Drink now through 2020. Best Buy.” 90-points.
Chartogne-Taillet Brut Champagne Cuvée Ste. Anne NV ($36.99)
#87 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017
A bright, finely meshed version that shows beautiful harmony throughout, offering flavors of Gala apple, spring forest, almond pastry and lemon curd riding the creamy mousse. Lasting, spiced finish. Disgorged February 2016. Drink now through 2022. 92-points.
In addition to the above Wine Spectator Top 100 offerings, here are a few other wines worthy of cellaring for the upcoming year.
2012 Corliss Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley ($88.99)
“A wine that I would put up there with the crème de la crème of Washington State Cabernet's, which is insanely good and does everything right. 97% Cabernet and 3% Petit Verdot. Fabulous notes of toasted spice, chocolate and tobacco leaves. Fabulous purity and freshness, a big, rich mid-palate and sweet tannin that emerge on the finish. Drink 2021–2041. Bravo!” –Wine Advocate, 97-points.
2014 Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo Rouge Piedmont Italy ($39.99)
“Fragrant, with cherry, strawberry and rose notes, this elegant red offers flavors of berry fruit, licorice and underbrush, ending with a firm grip of tannins and chewy licorice and spice accents. Best from 2019 through 2032.” –Wine Spectator, 92-points.
2015 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Oregon ($39.99)
“Refined and precise, featuring a structure that's elegantly complex, with raspberry and cinnamon aromas and sleek cherry and mineral flavors. Drink now through 2022. 772 cases made.” –Wine Spectator, 92-points.
CHEERS! ENJOY! Kenneth Benner, a Seattle area native, is a trained chef and has worked in such restaurants as Barbacoa, B.O.K.A. Kitchen + Bar, and Dahlia Lounge. Ken is the wine buyer at Leschi Market. He has a passion for learning, a meticulous palate, and a tenacity for searching out the best for his customers while offering some of the most highly coveted wines in the area. His wine column is intended to inspire and explore new choices in wine, learn about wine with his readers, and share his knowledge and experiences in the wine world. Check out the latest at www.LeschiMarket.com or request to be added to email updates or send questions, comments, or suggestions to ken@leschimarket.com and follow the wine department directly on twitter at twitter.com/leschimarket.